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ONews is aimed straight at those we help every day: events professionals.

No hard sell, no cheering for the home team - ONews isn't about us, it's about you. Helping you to discover new speakers, new industry trends, the hottest venues and the latest from the frontlines of the events industry.

Wish you could find someone with spark AND intelligence who’ll wake up your audience and get them firing and ready for action?

Meet Simon Banks.

Professional, Engaging, Creative.

Experienced, Enthusiastic, Energetic…

…And FUN!

If you want your audience engaged, the energy high and your people raving about your keynote speech, Simon’s got you covered.

Simon is a sought-after speaker and also emcees conferences and events and facilitates day-long and longer innovation programmes for companies who want to develop a culture of innovation and nurture market leading thinking, great ideas, products and results. His book A Thousand Little Lightbulbs: How to kickstart a culture of Innovation in your Business is coming out in the first half of 2017.

Simon’s spoken at and facilitated an enormous range of events, running 1000+ across Europe, Asia, America and Australia, including:

Conferences and Events

Innovation Hackathons

Visual Communication Programs

Creativity and Design Thinking workshops, and

Large scale, creative team events

His unique blend of energetic enthusiasm, creativity and humour is your guarantee for a keynote that lives on in the memories of your people, for all the right reasons. With his characteristic vim and vigour, audiences are instantly engaged and along for the ride.

Combining a career in learning and development, and his background in the arts, entertainment and innovation, Simon marries his creative abilities with his experience in the corporate world to ignite fresh, innovative thinking in his audiences and drive creativity that lasts long after the event is over.

Not your usual corporate-turned-speaker, Simon brings keynotes to life with his brilliant illustrations that fire up your people’s imaginations and bring creativity to the table.

Using a high-energy, savvy approach that engages audiences right from the start, Simon is a consummate, unflappable professional, without compromising on the fun.

Testimonials

We were very happy with how the conference went and your work was great in keeping them all pumped over 2 days. Everyone enjoyed your session and found it valuable. Feedback shows it was the best conference they had attended. Thank you so much I hope we can work together again soon.- Practice Manager, Hayes Knight (SA)

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for work at the conference last week, the day was excellent and the feedback we are receiving about you and the overall day is the best ever! I think you were a great addition both years, you kept the exercises different each time which certainly helped and I think staff were all really happy, particularly the way you managed the event.- Manager Marketing and Media, Marketing and Sales QLD TAFE

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the work you did Ã¢Â€Â“ before and during the CEO Forum. Simon, you made the day loads of fun for everyone. I am looking forward to finding more wonderful ways we can use your talents going forwards.- Internal Communications Specialist, Lumo Energy

The feedback has been nothing short of fantastic. Again thanks Simon for pulling off what will be a memorable night and of course now the bar for next yearÃ¢Â€Â™s conference is set very high. Great job and really enjoyed working with you- General Manager Small Business Programs & Services, Telstra

The feedback was fantastic from the conference. Thanks so much for your work with our sessions Simon. You were exceptionally professional, fun and really nailed the brief.- Australian Wholesale Marketing Manager, Flight Centre Travel Group

I would like to thank you for your role as facilitator and MC at the Department of Transport and Main Roads DG Customer Led Innovation Challenge. Your role was integral to making the day a success and was greatly appreciated by myself and all the participants.- Director General, QLD Department of Main Roads

We called on Simon to help us with an internal event we held recently. From the outset he was brilliant, from thoroughly understanding our needs through to fulfilling his role as MC. Simon was able to engage the audience, inject energy and keep everyone entertained. The feedback from attendees was exceptional and left the crowd wanting more. -Agile Coach - Digital, Commonwealth Bank

Simon supported me in a bid for new work. His creative skills and imagination helped us communicate our proposition in a highly effective way and I believe this helped differentiate us from our competition. He was very professional, organised and flexible which helped us meet a very tight deadline. I look forward to working with him again soon.- Executive Director, Ernst and Young

I tasked Simon with the job of MC and session facilitator at a national conference for accountants - Not the easiest of audiences, yet Simon’s unharnessed energy ensured the room remained engaged for the entire 3 days. Simon’s is fun, dynamic and forces the listener to move outside their comfort zone (in the right way). I have had the pleasure of working with Simon on numerous occasions and would personally recommend him to anyone seeking a speaker with a difference. -Practice Manager, Hayes Knight (SA)

Simon facilitated our inaugural innovation event in September 2016 in Melbourne, where over a dozen teams participated. He brought great energy to the session, engaged the teams very well, coached us along the way, and made the event fun. Simon is a great presenter and facilitator and I would recommend him for other organisations looking to run innovation sessions, hackathons, or similar events. -Head of Insights, eNett

Other speakers you might like:

Scott is the Conflict Whisperer and the Fun Maker! Scott is known as the most engaging, insightful & fun speaker in the conflict resolution arena. He has presented to more than 10,000 professionals and is in high demand as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator.

Scott has been awarded CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) designation - the highest international measure of speaking competence. He is accredited as one of Australia's top 100 certified speaking professionals by the Professional Speakers Australia (PSA) and is recognised by the Global Speakers Federation (GSF) as among the top 12% of professional speakers worldwide.

Dobbo has spent twenty-five years in the trenches alongside CEOs, world champion athletes, innovators, and pioneers. His clients are elite performers from every sphere – true outliers. Mark is a experienced performance coach, speaker and trainer who gets results.

Stevan is one of Australia’s leading tech entrepreneurs. In 1997, in the middle of the GFC he conceptualised Dimmi on the back of a napkin and went on to revolutionise the Aussie restaurant industry. In 2015, his startup was acquired by one of the great tech businesses of our time, TripAdvisor.

A massive thank you to you both for all your assistance from selecting to co-ordinating the speakers for our annual ProLoan conference. Feedback was that this year’s speakers where the best they had EVER heard at ANY event. So this is pretty amazing, because they do go to a lot of sessions like these.

Director of Network Relationships - Proloan (aust) pty ltd

Again this year you and your team have been fantastic and extremely helpful. In regards to you Sharm, you have been an absolute star and phenomenal help with our speakers and presenters, a great communicator, wealth of knowledge and so prompt with responding and looking at ways to cater to our needs.

Event Manager Fitness Australia

I would recommend, without hesitation, the services of Jane Rowland Smith and Ovations. Jane answered a last minute call to arrange a guest speaker for our principals. Nothing was too much effort, all was arranged within hours, and went very smoothly. The guest speaker was exactly what we required and our brief was followed. Thank you Jane and the team at Ovations.

All aspects of the process has always gone seamlessly with Ovations and we will continue to seek your assistance for the awards in the coming years.

Thank you again, your help has meant that our Awards are very professional and extremely well received by our members and guests.

Executive Assistant BSCAA NSW Division

Jane, I personally want to thank you for all of your support, advice, patience and all round kindness that you have given me over the last 3 or so years. This event would not have been as successful without the valuable MC’s you have recommended and the support you provided me when it all just seemed too hard